Golf Club Grip

ABSTRACT

A golf club grip structured to create simultaneous closing and impaction of the fingers of the golfer&#39;s upper hand during the execution of a full swing golf shot. The grip includes a constant diameter lower hand area and an upper hand section including an upper constant diameter section to accommodate the golfer&#39;s little finger and a second lower section having a gradually increasing diameter to accommodate the remaining three fingers of the golfer&#39;s upper hand.

RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

The present invention is a continuation in part of application application. Ser. No. 13/317,233 filed Oct. 13, 2011 titled GOLF CLUB GRIP and application. Ser. No. 14/285,701 filed May 23, 2014 also titled GOLF CLUB GRIP.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During the execution of a normal full swing golf shot, a golf club is gripped by a golfer with both hands with the uppermost, non-dominant hand being placed at the upper end of a golf grip attached to the upper end of the golf club shaft. Most conventional golf grips are made with either a constant diameter or with a tapering outside diameter that is progressively smaller away from the uppermost part of the grip at the butt end of the golf club. Typically, the uppermost or butt end of golf grips are formed with a larger diameter to prevent the club from slipping out of the hands of the golfer particularly during adverse weather conditions. Historically few attempts have been made to ergonomically fit a USGA conforming golf grip to the normal physical structure of the human hand and fingers in order to increase golf swing efficiency that results in more successful play by the golfer.

Conventional golf grips, having an non-ergonomic larger diameter at the upper butt-end surface, automatically create undesirable static forearm tension during swing address and an unintentional mid-swing inefficient club levering which must be compensated for by semi-conscious timed manipulations during the kinetic phase of every golf swing using these grips.

Applicant has a history of developing improved golf grip structures as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,723,001, D 355,011, D 605,241, D 532,857.

It has generally agreed among golf teachers that a golf club be held more firmly at the set up or address position of the golf swing by using the little and ring fingers of the non-dominant hand because it was traditionally thought these fingers acted together, that is, in unison to close and impact on the surface of the grip. Conversely, the index and middle fingers were traditionally placed more loosely in a less firm manner on the grip. Because of the kinetic forces generated during the golf swing, a resistance to the centrifugal force created naturally tightens all the fingers against the grip surface. However, it is now known that only three fingers move against the grip surface to lever the golf club against the unmoving fulcrum created by the little finger.

For this reason, Applicant was initially led to create an improved golf grip addressing the position of these two upper fingers. This ultimately led to the grip structure disclosed in the Ferris (applicant) U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,764. It was felt that this patented grip shape would allow the fingers of the upper hand to have a stronger grip on the club during the execution of golf shots thereby preventing the premature release of the lower dominant hand while providing separate feel with each hand as it grips the golf club.

The U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,864 describes a three-section golf grip wherein the uppermost section accommodates the little and ring fingers of the upper hand, the middle section accommodates the middle and the index fingers of the upper hand and the lower section that accommodates all the fingers of the lower hand. This patent describes a relationship between the uppermost section and the intermediate section having a ratio of 3:4 wherein the uppermost section is approximately 75% of the length of the intermediate section. This structure is designed to allow only two fingers, the little finger and ring finger, of the upper hand to be positioned on the upper section of the golf grip during the golf swing.

Whereas the patented grip of Ferris did provide greater stability and increased performance when striking a golf ball using a golf club employing the patented grip, it became apparent that additional increased performance may be possible based upon a study reported subsequent to the U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,864 patent by reliable and expert authority published as MEASUREMENT and ANALYSIS of GRIP FORCE DURING a GOLF SHOT by E. R. KOMI et al, from the Wolfson School of Mechanical Engineering, Loughborough University, UK, Aug. 28, 2008. This published research study concluded the dynamics of the closing and impacting moments of all the fingers of a normal human grasping hand were chronologically independent and further that such movements and impactions are sequentially predictable as each finger independently approaches the palm and/or the surface of an object in the palm. The conclusions of the above referenced study have resulted in the new and improved structure of the golf grip of this invention that has been found to create a result superior to the patented grip.

Other prior art patents include U.S. Pat. No. D 504,928 to Miller showing a golf grip that is tapered upwardly toward the upper end of the golf club; U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,850 to Garrity showing a golf grip having a tapered upper end of reduced diameter; and, U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,956 to Dagenais showing a putter grip including a lower grip portion having a greater diameter than a separate, detached upper section.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The golf grip of the present invention has a new and novel shape having an upper hand area and a lower hand area. The upper hand area is further divided into two sections; an uppermost section to accommodate only the uppermost, little finger of the upper hand and a lower section of the upper hand area designed to position and accommodate the remaining three fingers of the upper hand, that is the ring finger, middle finger and the index finger. The lower hand area is designed to position and accommodate all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand.

To the extent that a golf grip supports and facilitates natural hand and finger action, it is said to be “ergonomically” shaped. The novel structural features of the golf grip of the present invention, in contrast to all other golf grip shapes, provides an ergonomic shape that better allows the natural movement of the closing fingers of the grasping, non-dominant upper hand's to uniformly and simultaneously grip the golf club in an easier, more beneficial ergonomic way. The golf club grip of the present invention is shaped to avoid the creation of the fulcrum/trigger effects of the sequential tightening that is exerted on the surfaces of the grip while swinging the club by changing the otherwise normal sequential impaction of the closing fingers on the grip surfaces of the non-dominant hand to a simultaneous movement of all the fingers. This is accomplished with a grip design that reflects the normal grasping physiology of the fingers of the upper non-dominant hand as expressed in the previously referenced hand/finger study.

The grip of the present invention is installed at the upper end of a golf shaft and is employed in the regular process of the customary and accepted mechanics of an efficient golf swing by providing a gripping area for a conventional golf club. The upper hand area of the grip includes an uppermost section that is the grip's smallest constant circumferential dimension and sized exclusively for the impaction of the only the little finger. The upper hand area of the grip further includes a lower section structured with an increasing larger circumferential diameter for the proximate grasping impaction areas, in turn, of the non-dominant ring finger, second middle finger and index finger. The lower hand area has the grip's largest constant circumferential diameter in order to accommodate all the fingers of the player's dominant lower hand.

The golf grip of the subject invention has an ergonomically better shape that conforms to the actual normal physiological movements of the fingers of a normal grasping human hand as that movement is detailed and described in the physiology of the referenced independent study. The conclusions cited portend to its superiority in the performance of a more efficient golf swing in comparison to the grip embodiments described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,864. Because the golf grip of the subject invention is a more ergonomically shaped golf grip, it creates a new and improved result. As the golf club is swung wrist flex is automatically increased to reduce forearm tension at address and the extraneous mid-swing levering manipulations otherwise occasioned in a normal golf swing event by finger grip fulcrum/trigger action created between the non-dominant little and ring fingers impacting sequentially on the same constant diameter, as occurs with the upper grip structure of U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,864.

Because the present invention recognizes that the distance each finger moves toward the palm of a grasping hand is different, the golf grip is shaped to more completely reconcile the anatomical differences between each of the fingers of a normal human hand and the areas of the palm where they impact, whereby the grasping fingers simultaneously impact the grip against the palm to increase the efficiency and consistency of a golf swing.

Structurally this is achieved with the grip configured to have a lower hand area of constant diameter to engage all the fingers of the lower dominant hand. Preferably the lower hand area of the grip is approximately 5 inches and that provides ample room for all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand. The upper hand area is formed with two sections. The uppermost section of the upper hand area is cylindrical in structure having a constant outer diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the lower hand area and sized with a length no greater than 1.25 inches in order to accommodate only the little finger of the upper, non-dominant hand. The lowermost section of the upper hand area is structured with a gradually increasing conical, tapered shape away from the upper end of the golf grip. This section provides a gripping surface for the first three fingers of the upper non-dominant hand. Preferably this lowermost section of the upper hand area has a length no greater than three inches. Since each finger of the human hand has different lengths, the configuration of the upper hand area of the golf grip allows the fingers of the upper hand to simultaneously close against the configuration of the two upper hand grip sections and acts to greatly reduce or eliminate the fulcrum effect and resulting trigger action of the little finger relative to the ring finger.

The resulting size of the sections of the upper hand area are that the upper section of the upper hand area is approximately 30% and the lower section of the upper hand area is approximately 70% of the total length of the entire length of the upper hand area. Stated in other words, the length of the upper section of the upper hand area is no greater than 42% of the length of the lower section of the upper hand area.

More specifically, the equalization of the rate of closure of all fingers of the upper hand is achieved by producing a reduced diameter gripping surface for the little finger relative to the increasing larger diameter gripping surface of the adjacent ring finger. The length of the upper section of the upper hand area that is reduced in diameter and circumference permits grasping by only the non-dominant hand's little finger when the grip is used in a normal full swing mode by the golfer. It follows the remaining fingers of the golfer's upper hand are placed on the tapered lower section of the upper hand area that has a greater diameter than the grip smaller diameter impaction area of the little finger resulting in a beneficial simultaneous grip impaction of the little and ring finger with no inefficient sequential fulcrum/trigger grip surface impactions otherwise present between the fingers should they impact upon a gripping surface with the same diameter and circumference. The result is all three of the larger fingers of the non-dominant upper hand engage to close simultaneously on the intermediate section of the golf grip along with the simultaneous closing of the little finger on the upper section of upper hand area.

The golf grip of the present invention is an ergonomic design, particularly for the upper non-dominant hand with an uppermost circular section of constant diameter, with a measured incrementally progressive circumference increase section that merges into the circular constant diameter grasping area of the lower dominant hand area. This grip structure allows the consistent and efficient prosecution diameter of the golf swing. Intrinsic to the ergonomic characteristics of the subject grip are the resultant desirable qualities of increased control, power, consistency, efficiency and outcome relative to a planned, purposeful, goal-oriented golf swing action.

Another aspect of the novel more efficient full finger simultaneous impaction design of the subject grip is the creation of a measurably increased, non-dominant forearm tension-free wrist flex. This important faculty increases tension-free extension at address to reduce the set-up wrist/shaft angle and facilitate the easier execution of a true “one plane golf swing”; a swing protocol desirable for its consistent accuracy but elusive with the employment with less ergonomically shaped grip forms, including the grip disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,684. The ability of the subject grip to increase non-dominant wrist flex also facilitates increased overall swing extension resulting in smoother club head release, more powerful impact and higher swing speed with reduced effort. In tests comparing the subject grip against the patented grip, it has been found that the grip of the present invention provides preferred ulna positioning, as well as more favorable pelvis and thorax positioning and movement during the swing as compared to the same variables when tested with the structure of the patented grip. In addition, the subject grip provided increased shot carry distance and less deviation from the intended target as compared to the same parameters when the patented grip was tested. These and other beneficial outcomes are attributable to the novel ergonomic design of the subject grip and serve to actually create a substantially more natural and confident feel in the hands, and mind, of the golfer preparing, and subsequently executing, a golf swing.

No matter what the overall grip size, the grip's uppermost section is the grip's smallest circumferential section with the smallest constant diameter and is sized as such to provide a surface only for the placement and impaction of the little finger in the execution of a full golf swing utilizing the full club length and swing weight designed and pre-engineered into each individual golf club for that purpose.

The subject grip is specifically sized to provide a landing space in the subject grip's uppermost section only and exclusively for placement to receive the impaction of the non-dominant hand's little finger in the execution of a full golf swing. This embodiment is a real and significant difference to the golf grip shown and described in my U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,684 which specifically designed an uppermost circular area of constant diameter for a length that must absolutely accommodate the placement of both the little and ring fingers of the non-dominant hand since at the time of U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,684 was filed it was traditionally taught in golf that these fingers acted “together” in the normal execution of a golf swing.

It is appreciated that various golfers have different sized hands/fingers and the subject grips are sized in differing sections length to the general small, medium and large classes of hand size roughly comparable to the general physical criteria that distinguishes such hand/finger sizing differences in the consideration of the sizing of golf gloves. For every golfer using any on the aforementioned sizes the overriding sizing principal is a grip size having an uppermost gripping section that permits only the placement of the little finger thereon. Therefore, no matter how large or small the overall grip size may be, the uppermost section of the grip accommodates only the little finger; the intermediate section accommodates the remaining three fingers; the ringer, the middle finger and the index finger of the golfer's upper hand. Similarly, the lowermost section of the grip is sized to accommodate all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand no matter how large or small the golfer's hands may be. With grips that are smaller or larger to accommodate golfers having different sized hands. It will be appreciated that the length measurements of each of the three sections of the golf grip, in inches, will vary either larger or smaller while maintaining the relative length of each section in the same proportion to allow the placement of the fingers in the manner described above.

A primary object of the present invention is the provision of an ergonomic golf grip to facilitate efficiency, ease and consistency of the of the golf swing.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a golf club grip having an improved ergonomic shape allowing the fingers of the golfer's upper non-dominant hand on a golf grip to close, tighten and impact on the improved ergonomic grip surface simultaneously during the execution of a full swing golf stroke.

These and other objects will become apparent with reference to the following specification and drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a golf grip in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the golf grip of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the golf grip attached to the upper end of a full-length golf club.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a full swing golf grip 100 in accordance with the present invention is shown attached to a golf club 102 on the upper end of a shaft 104 at the opposite end of a club head 106. The grip 100 is preferably a single, unitary, molded member made of rubber or a similar flexible composite material. The grip 100 is generally cylindrical in shape and has a hollow interior. An opening 108 at a lower end of the grip 100 enables the grip 100 to be placed over and secured to the shaft 104 using adhesive or suitable tape. A cap 110 at the top end of the grip 100 covers the upper end of the shaft 104.

The grip 100 is formed in two parts including an upper hand area 111 and a lower hand area 114. The lower hand area 114 is cylindrical in shape and is formed with a constant outer diameter along the entire length of the lower hand area 114 as seen in the drawings.

The upper hand area 111 is formed with a generally cylindrical, upper section 112 having a non-tapered, constant diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the lower hand area 114. The upper hand area 111 further includes a lower section 116 that is tapered with a gradually increasing diameter from the smaller diameter of the upper section 112 toward the larger diameter of the lower hand area 114. A suitable cap 110 provides a closure for the upper hand area 111 of the grip 100.

When the golf club 102 is used in a normal way to strike a golf ball, the upper section 112 of the upper hand area 111 is structured to accommodate only the uppermost, little finger of the golfer's upper hand. It follows that the lower section 116 of the upper hand area 111 is structured to receive and accommodate the remaining three fingers of the golfer's upper hand, namely the ring finger, the middle finger and the index finger. The lower hand section 114 of the golf grip 100 accommodates all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand during the execution of a full swing golf shot.

The upper hand area 111 is sized to accomplish the aforementioned finger placement whereby the upper section 112 of the upper hand area 111 is no larger than 1.25 inches in length and the lower section 116 of the upper hand area 111 is approximately three inches. Thus, the upper section 112 of the upper hand area 111 is approximately 30% of the total length of the upper hand area 111 and the lower section 116 of the upper hand area 111 is approximately 70% of the total length of the upper hand area 111. Stated in other terms, the length of the upper section 112 of the upper hand area 111 is approximately no larger than 42% than the length of the adjoining lower section 116 of the upper hand area 111 creating an approximate length ratio of 5:12 between the upper section 112 and the lower section 116 of the upper hand area 111.

The placement of the golfer's fingers on the above described grip 100 provides an ergonomic connection between the golfer's hands and the golf club 102 and allows the fingers to close and tighten on the grip 100 in a sequential manner, reducing tension and permitting a smooth movement of the golf club during the swing to achieve precise and consistent contact with the golf ball.

Whereas the present embodiment has been described in terms of conventional grip sizes, it will be appreciated that the grip may be made smaller or larger to accommodate different hand sizes of various golfers as long as the relative size of the grip sections are maintained. Other modifications may be made in keeping within the spirit and scope of the following claims. 

1. A golf club grip for attachment to a golf club shaft formed of lower and upper hand areas wherein the improvement comprises: said lower hand area of said grip having a generally cylindrical shape to accommodate all the fingers of a golfer's lower hand; said upper hand area of said grip formed in two sections including an upper section and a lower section; said upper section of said upper hand area having an outer diameter being constant along the entire length thereof; said lower section of said upper hand area being a tapered transitional section connecting said lower hand area and said upper section of said upper hand area; said upper section of said upper hand area characterized by having a size providing sufficient gripping space to accommodate only the little finger of the upper hand of a golfer; said lower section of said upper hand area characterized by having a size providing sufficient gripping space to accommodate the remaining three fingers of the upper hand; and, said upper section of said upper hand area having a length of approximately 1.25 inches and said lower section of said upper hand area having a length of approximately 3.0 inches.
 2. The golf grip of claim 1 wherein said lower hand area has a first outer, constant diameter; and, said upper section of said upper hand area has a second constant diameter smaller than said first outer constant diameter of said lower hand area.
 3. A golf club grip for attachment to a golf club shaft wherein the improvement comprises: a lower hand area of said grip having a first outer diameter; an upper hand area of said grip having an upper section and a lower section; said upper section of said upper hand area having a second outer diameter smaller than said first outer diameter of said lower hand area; said second outer diameter being constant along the entire length thereof; said lower section of said upper hand area being a tapered transitional section connecting said lower hand area and said upper section of said upper hand area; said upper section of said upper hand area characterized by having a size providing sufficient gripping space to accommodate the little finger of the upper hand of a golfer; said lower section of said upper hand area characterized by having a size providing sufficient gripping space to accommodate the remaining three fingers of the upper hand; said lower hand area having a size providing sufficient gripping space to accommodate all the fingers of the lower hand; and, said upper section of said upper hand area having a length of approximately 30 percent of the length of the upper hand area; said lower section of said upper hand area having a length of approximately 70 percent of the length of the upper hand area.
 4. The golf grip of claim 3 wherein the length of said upper section of said upper hand area is no greater than approximately 42 percent of the length of the lower section of said upper hand area. 